Key pouch



Oct. 17, 1939. D. J. NASH ET AL KEYPOUCH Filed April 9, 1938 TTORNEY Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT oarce KEY roucn Daniel J. Nash, New York, N. Y., and Robert L. Hatfield, East Orange, N. J., assignors to said Daniel J. Nash, New York, N. Y.

Application April 9, 1938, Serial No. 201,050

8 Claims.

jected or pulled from one endof the case for use.'

A key case of the same general nature is described and claimed in the eo-pending application of Daniel J. Nash, Serial No. 196,457, filed March 17, 1938, said case including in general a flexible envelope or cover and a lazy tongs system of links within the cover or envelope for moving a key holder toward and from an opening in the envelope to project and retract keys on the holder through said opening out of and into the envelope.

A prime object of the present invention is to provide a key pouch of the general character described which shall embody novel and improved means for automatically ejecting the keys from an opening in the envelope or cover for use of the keys and for automatically retracting the keys into the envelope or cover after use thereof.

Another object it to provide a key pouch of this character which shall include a case, envelope or cover having a lazy tongs mechanism therein, and novel and improved means for operating the lazy tongs mechanism, whereby said mechanism can be operated by one hand of the user to eject and retract keys through an opening in the case into and out of the case.

Another object is to provide novel and improved automatic means for holding the keys in ejected position for use and for releasing the ejected keys at the 'will of the operator for retraction thereof into the case after use; to provide a key case of the character described which shall be simple, inexpensive, reliable and durable in construction and operation, and to obtain other advantages and results as willbe brought out by the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a key case embodying our invention, showing the keys ejected therefrom in dot and dash lines.

Figure 2 is asimilar view with the upper portion of the case, envelope or cover removed, and showing the keys within the case.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the keys ejected from the case. I t Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the side of the mechanism opposite that illustrated in Figure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sectional views on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Figures 2 and 3 respectively.

Figure 'I is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 1-1 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is an exploded view'showing one of the finger pieces and the associated detent or catch, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of one end of the case, cover or envelope.

The pouch embodying the invention comprises a case, envelope or cover A of any suitable construction having an opening B, preferably at one 10 end. As shown, the case is formed of flexible material such as leather and is composed of two similar pieces i secured together in superposed relation at their edges as by stitches 2.

. Within the case is a key holding and ejecting 15 mechanism C which is shown as comprising a lazy tongs system of links which includes a plurality of similar links 3. As shown, there are three pairs of the links 3, the links of each pair being connected at one end to the links of another 2 pair as at 30, and the links of each pair being pivotally connected together substantially midway between their ends as at 4. The free ends of the pair of links at one end of the system have pin and slot connections 9 with a key holder 6 that 25 is shown in the form of a plate having a plurality of key holding loops or clips I pivotally or otherwise movably connected thereto and to which keys D are attached.

The free ends of the pair of links at the other 30 end of the system are pivotally connected at 8 to the respective actuators or finger pieces 9. As shown, these finger pieces 9 are approximately rectangular blocks of suitable material which are slidably mounted to move toward and from each 35 other in a guide channel it! which is formed integrally with a supporting plate ll. As shown, the plate I i has one end returned to form the channel, and the free edge has an inturned flange l2, whereby the finger pieces 9 are held against 40 lateral movement in the guide channel. The pivot connecting the links of the pair which are connected to the finger pieces 9 is in the form of a pin it that is slidably mounted in a slot H in the supporting plate ll.- With this construction, as the finger pieces 9 are pressed toward each other in the guide channel ill, the lazy tongs system of links will be extended as shown in Figure 3 to move the key holder 6 toward the open ing B and eject the keys D on the clip 1 from the case through said opening.

For contracting the lazy tongs links so as to move the key holder 6 away from the opening B and retract the keys into the case, we have shown a spring which includes a helical coil [5 having its ends l8 pivotally connected to the joints between two adjacent pairs 01' links, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. With this construction, the spring normally tends to draw the lazy tongs links together so as to contract the system of links as shown in Figure 2, and at the same time causes the finger pieces 9 to project from opposite ends of the guide channel JO.

The supporting plate ii is mounted at the end of the case A opposite the opening B, and the edges of the case have openings I! through which the finger pieces 9 project, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 9.

With this construction, the key holder 6 and the associated keys D are normally encased as showninFigure2. Whenitisdesiredtouseany of the keys, it is simply necessary to grip the finger pieces 9 between the thumb and index finger of one hand, and press the finger pieces toward each other. This will result in actuation of the lazy tongs links to project the keys D from the case through the opening B as shown in Figure 3. Upon release of the finger pieces,

the spring l will actuate thelazy tongs links in the opposite direction so as to retract the keys into the case as shown in Figure 2.

In accordance with the invention, means is provided for temporarily holding the keys in ejected position for use. As shown, a spring detent or latch I8 is carried by each finger piece 9, the finger piece having notches I9 in its corners in which are fitted tongues 20 on the corresponding detent. The detent lies btween the corresponding finger piece 9 and the main supporting plate II, and has a head 2| to cooperate with the edge 22 of an opening 26 in the plate ll as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. The head 2| is carried by a spring neck 23 that is formed by slitting the spring metal of which the detent is formed, as indicated at 24. To provide a clearance for operation of the head and neck, the finger piece has a groove 25 to accommodate the neck upon movement of the head 2|.

Normally, when the keys the encased, the detent and head are disposed between the corresponding finger piece 9 and the main supporting plate II, as shown in Figure 5. When the finger pieces are pressed together to eject the keys from the case, the heads 2| of the detent snap upwardly into the opening 26 and engage the edges 22 of the opening so as to hold the finger pieces against movement in the opposite direction under the influence of the spring l5. To release the finger pieces and permit the keys to be automatically retracted into the case, it is simply necessary to press the heads 2| of the detents downwardly or inwardly so as to disengage the edges of the heads from the edges 22 of the opening 26. The portion of the material of the case A overlying the opening 26 is sufiiciently flexible to permit the heads 2| to be depressed through the material.

The main plate It may be secured in any suitable manner, but preferably the ends of the pieces I of which the case is formed are wrapt around the channel portion of the plate, and a channelshaped binder 21, for example of metal, clamps the ends of the material between itself and the plate II, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. If desired, the plate Il may be secured to the material of the caseby adhesive orby rivets and in many instances the binder 21 may be omitted. Where the binder is used, it is either made flexible or is cut away as indicated at 28 at the zone adjacent the opening ,26 in the plate Ii.

While we have shown and described the now preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the details of structure of the case may be widely modified and changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A key pouch. comprising a case having an opening, a key holder within said case, a lazy tongs mechanism within said case with one end connected to said key holder, and finger pieces connected to the other end of said lazy tongs mechanism and projecting from opposite edges of said case for actuating said lazy tongs mechanism to move said key holder toward said opening and project keys on the holder through the opening, a' guide for said finger pieces having a shoulder to cooperate with a detent, and a detent connected to and movable with one finger piece to releasably engage said shoulder for holding lazy tongs mechanism in the position for projecting the keys from the case.

2. A key pouch comprising a case having an opening, a key holding and ejecting mechanism in said case including a lazy tongs system of links comprising a plurality of pivotally connected pairs of pivotally connected links, a key holder connected to and movable with one end of said system of links, and actuating means for said system of links to move said holder toward and from said opening and project and retract keys on said holder out of and into said case through said opening, said actuating means including a spring for actuating the links in one direction and finger pieces connected to said links for actuating the links in the opposite direction against the influence of said spring, said spring comprising a loop disposed at one side of said lazy tongs system of links in a plane parallel to the planeot the lazy tongs system and having each end connected to one of the pivotal connections of the ends of said links.

3. A key pouch including an approximately flat case of pliable material having an opening at one end, a key-holding and ejecting mechanism in said case including a lazy tongs system of links comprising a plurality of pivotally connected pairs of links each pair of which consists of two links pivotally connected intermediate their ends, a key holder pivotally connected to the links at the end of said lazy tongs system nearer said opening in the case, a rigid supporting plate mounted in said case adjacent the end thereof opposite said opening, a pair of operating members projecting from the ease and movable toward and from each other and operatively connected to the links at the other end of said lazy tongs system whereby to extend said system and move said key holder toward said opening upon movement 01' said operating members toward each other, and means mounting said lazy tongs system 01' links and said operating members on said supporting plate.

4. A key pouch including an approximately fiat case of pliable material having an opening at one.

end, a rigid supporting plate mounted in said .case and having a guide channel opening at opsaid key holder and having a pair 0! crossed pivotally connected links at its other end, one end oi each'oi which is pivotally connected to one of said operating members whereby said lazy tongs system of links is connected to said supporting plate, said operating members being movable toward each other to extend said system of links and move said key holder toward said opening, and a spring for contracting said system of links to move said hey holder away from said opening and project said operating members irom the case.

5. The key pouch set forth in claim 3 wherein said supporting plate has a slot, and the pivot connecting the links 01 one pair of links is a pin slidabie in said slot upon extension and contraction oi said lazy tonss system;

The key pouch set forth in claim 4 wherein said supporting plate has a slot, and the pivot of said pair of crossed pivotally connected links is a pin slidable in said slot upon extension and contraction of said lazy tongs system.

7. A key pouch including an approximately :ilat case of pliable material having an opening at one end, a fiat rigid supporting plate secured in said case adjacent the end opposite said opening, alazy tongs system of links, operating members connected to one end of said system for exten the system, means securing said end of the lazy tongs system and said operating members on said rigid supporting plate, a key holder connected to the other end of said lazy tongs system to be moved toward and from said opening or the ease upon extension and contraction of said lazy tongs system, and means for contracting said lazy tongs system of links.

8. A key pouch comprising a case having an opening, .a key holder in said case movable toward and from said opening, a lazy tongs system of links connected at one end to said key holder,

a supporting plate mounted in said case and having a guide channel opening at opposite ends through the walls of the case, finger pieces slidable in said guide channel toward and from each other and projecting outwardly from opposite sides oi the case, each finger piece pivotally connonnn'r L. m. M 

